CVE-2022-23665 in ClearPass Policy Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 05/17/2022
A authenticated remote command injection vulnerability was discovered in Aruba ClearPass Policy Manager version(s): 6.10.4 and below, 6.9.9 and below, 6.8.9-HF2 and below, 6.7.x and below. Aruba has released updates to ClearPass Policy Manager that address this security vulnerability.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/18/2022
The authenticated remote command injection vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-23665 represents a critical security flaw in Aruba ClearPass Policy Manager across multiple version ranges including 6.10.4 and below, 6.9.9 and below, 6.8.9-HF2 and below, and 6.7.x and below. This vulnerability resides within the authentication mechanisms of the ClearPass Policy Manager platform, which serves as a central authentication, authorization, and accounting solution for enterprise networks. The flaw allows an authenticated attacker with valid credentials to execute arbitrary commands on the affected system, potentially compromising the entire network infrastructure that relies on ClearPass for identity management.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and sanitization within the ClearPass Policy Manager's web interface and API endpoints. When authenticated users submit specific inputs through web forms or API calls, the system fails to properly validate or escape user-supplied data before processing. This inadequate sanitization creates a command injection vector where malicious payloads can be executed with the privileges of the authenticated user, potentially escalating to system-level privileges depending on the underlying implementation. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-77 and CWE-94 categories, representing command injection flaws that allow attackers to execute arbitrary commands on the target system. From an attack perspective, this vulnerability maps directly to ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter, and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-23665 extends far beyond simple unauthorized access, as the compromised ClearPass Policy Manager could serve as a gateway for attackers to gain control over the entire enterprise network authentication infrastructure. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to manipulate authentication policies, create backdoor accounts, modify user access rights, and potentially gain access to sensitive network resources that depend on ClearPass for authentication. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that ClearPass Policy Manager typically operates as a central hub for network access control, making it a prime target for attackers seeking persistent access to enterprise environments. Organizations relying on affected versions face potential data breaches, unauthorized network access, and complete compromise of their authentication infrastructure, which could result in significant operational disruption and regulatory compliance violations.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the latest security patches released by Aruba to address the vulnerability, implementing network segmentation to limit access to ClearPass Policy Manager systems, and conducting thorough security assessments of all affected devices. Network administrators should also consider implementing additional authentication controls, such as multi-factor authentication, to reduce the impact of credential compromise. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and proper input validation in enterprise authentication systems, as highlighted in industry standards such as NIST SP 800-160 and ISO/IEC 27001. Regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar injection flaws in other network management systems, and access controls should be reviewed to ensure least privilege principles are maintained across all authentication infrastructure components.